Converter having a carrying structure open on one side



March 1969 J. LAMBRECHT' ET AL 3,430,941 CONVERTER HAVING A CARRYING STRUCTURE OPEN ON ONE SIDE Fild 0013. 20, 1965 Sheet of 2 JOSEF LAMBRECHT HERMANN SCHUBERT THEIR ATTORNEYS INVENTORS Sheet INVENTORS: JOSEF LAMBRECHT HERMANN SCHUBERT THEIR ATTORNEYS J. LAMBRECHT ET AL CONVERTER HAVING A CARRYING STRUCTURE OPEN ON ONE SIDE March 4, 1969 Filed Oct. 20, 1965 ll 1-H United States Patent 3,430,941 CONVERTER HAVING A CARRYING STRUCTURE OPEN ON ONE SIDE Josef Lambrecht and Hermann Schubert, Linz, Austria, assignors to Vereinigte Osterreichische Eisenund Stahlwerke Aktiengesellschaft, Linz, Austria, a company of Austria Filed Oct. 20, 1965, Ser. No. 498,927 Claims priority, application Austria, Oct. 21, 1964, A 8,924/64 US. Cl. 266-36 2 Claims Int. Cl. C21c 5/50 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Support means for a converter carried by a horseshoeshaped frame are described. Three mounts are provided, each including a generally hemispherical bushing resiliently engaging a mating socket in the frame. Three pins are fixed to the converter vessel, each passing through a respective bushing with a loose spline coupling to permit a small amount of play. The combination of bushing shape, loose spline and resilient bushing mount accommodates variable thermal expansion of the vessel and frame to minimize stresses.

Converters are known in which the carrying structure consists of a frame which is open on one side and carries the converter vessel. The latter is preferably supported at three points by means of claws, which are held on the carrying structure by suitable retaining means.

In operation, the converter vessel is subjected to highly different thermal stresses, particularly at the end of the use of the vessel, when the lining is worn to a considerable extent, because the wall of the vessel assumes a higher temperature in those portions where the lining has worn to a higher degree than in other portions where a thicker lining has been left. The same applies to the carrying structure, which is subjected to higher temperature stresses at its inside wall than at its outside wall, and is subjected to higher temperature stresses at the top than at the bottom. This results in different thermal expansions and stresses. The expansion of the carrying structure must be taken up by the bearings. For this purpose, fixed and loose bearings are provided.

The fixed points for the axial thermal expansion of the converter vessel are the claws, which engage the carrying structure. From these fixed points, the vessel is free to expand upwardly and downwardly. Whereas it is desirable that the converter vessel should also be radially expansible as freely as possible, a satisfactory solution to this problem has not been provided. Relating to a converter which comprises a carrying structure open on one side, the invention teaches to provide bushings or eyes, which are mounted on the claws that are subjected to the thermal expansion of the vessel or of the carrying structure, and these bushings or eyes are adapted to be secured to the carrying structure to connect the same to the converter vessel while permitting of a limited relative movement of the claws on the carrying structure. The bushings or eyes are mounted on the carrying structure in a mating spherical socket. According to a further feature of the invention, the pinlike ends of the claws are guided with play by means of a spline in a correspondingly wide groove of the bushings. The bushings are secured to the carrying structure by screws. The heads of these screws are cushioned by springs accommodated in a bore of the carrying structure.

These and other features of the invention will be explained more fully with reference to an illustrated embodiment shown on the drawing. FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view showing the radial expansion of the converter vessel and of the carrying structure. FIG. 2 is a top plan view showing the converter. FIGS. 3 and 4 show details of the converter mounting means according to the invention. FIG. 5 is a top plan view showing the means provided according to the invention for securing the claws. FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on line AB of FIG. 5.

FIG. 1 shows the expansion of the converter vessel from the axis of claws 3, 3' in directions b, b and from the axis of claw 3" in directions 0, 0. Likewise, FIG. 1 shows the expansion of the carrying structure from a fixed point consisting of a trunnion bearing 4' in a direction a and from the axis of the converter bearings 4, 4 in directions a, a".

To simplify the statement of the problem, it has been assumed that a uniform temperature rise occurs at the periphery of the converter vessel and a somewhat smaller, uniform temperature rise occurs at the periphery of the carrying structure. These assumptions are not entirely in accordance with the conditions that are obtained in practice, but these variations are negligible although they involve an application of pressure on the edges of the mounting means. On the other hand, these assumptions furnish a basis for a simplified design, which is sufficient for practical requirements. FIG. 1 shows a converter vessel 1 and a carrying structure 2 open on one side. Claws 3, 3 are disposed near the open side and a claw 3 is provided at the apex of the arch of the carrying structure. A fixed bearing '4 and a loose bearing 4 are provided for the carrying structure. The center of the carrying structure is at M in the cold state and is shifted to the position M by the temperature rise. The center of the converter vessel is at M in the cold state and is shifted to position M by the temperature rise of the carrying structure and of the converter vessel. The thermal expansion of the carrying structure is indicated as Al The thermal expansion Al /2 results at the center of the carrying structure, 1 being the dimension of the system consisting of the vessel and carrying structure in the cold state. In FIG. 2, the structure of the above-mentioned parts is shown with the same reference characters. FIG. 3 shows the carrying structure as viewed from the fixed bearing. FIG. 4 shows the carrying structure as viewed in the direction of the arrow A in FIG. 2, from the left. In this view, claws 3 and 3 engage the top and claw 3 engages the bottom of the carrying structure. To enable a longitudinal displacement of claws 3, 3' and 3-" on the carrying structure and consequently a radial expansion of the structure, as is desired according to the invention, the pinlike ends 5 of the claws are mounted in bushings or eyes 6 and guided with the aid of a spline 7 (FIG. 6) in a correspondingly wide groove 8 so that a rotation of the bushing 6 is prevented. Thus, there is a limited freedom of relative movement between the claws and the bushings or eyes so that a thermal expansion of the converter is enabled independently of the means for mounting the hoops.

As is apparent from FIG. 1, the differential temperature rise and expansion of the converter vessel results in an angular displacement of the claws 3, 3' and 3" because the expansion results in a differential increase in the diameter of the vessel. To enable a compensation of the resulting inclination according to the invention, the spherical bearing surface 6a of the bushings 6 engages a mating spherical socket 9, as seen in FIGS. 5 and 6. This enables also a small compensation of erros in assembly.

As is apparent from FIGS. 5 and 6, the bushings 6 are secured to the carrying structure by screws 10, the heads of which are cushioned by springs which are inserted in a bore 12 of the carrying structure. When the converter is dismounted, these springs can hold the screws in assembled position.

To prevent an ingress of dust, a covering ring 13 (FIG. 5) may be mounted on the carrying structure adjacent to the means for mounting the claws.

When the converter is dismounted, the eyes or bushings 6 are held in assembled position by the disc springs 14.

What we claim is:

1. A converter assembly including a substantially horseshoe-shaped carrying structure and a converter vessel supported in said carrying structure by means providing limited relative movement therebetween, said support means comprising a plurality of claws having pin-like ends fixed to said vessel, a like plurality of bushings for receiving respective ones of said pin-like ends, each of said pin-like ends including a spline andsaid bushings each being provided with a groove for receiving the corresponding spline, said groove being wider than said spline to provide play therebetween, each of said bushings having a substantially hemispherical outer bearing surface, and a like plurality of substantially hemispherical sockets on said carrying structure for engagement by said respective bearing surfaces.

2. A converter assembly including a substantially horseshoe-shaped carrying structure and a converter vessel supported in said carrying structure by means providing limited relative movement therebetween, said sup port means comprising a plurality of claws having pin-like ends fixed to said vessel, a like plurality of bushings for receiving respective ones of said pin-like ends, said bushings being resiliently secured to said carrying structure by means including a plurality of bores in said structure, screw means coupled to said bushings and having heads retained in said bores, and spring means in said bores resiliently cushioning said screw means, each of said bushings having a substantially hemispherical outer bearing surface, and a like plurality of substantially hemispherical sockets on said carrying structure for engagement by said respective bearing surfaces.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,000,021 9/1961 PuXkandl 266-36 X 3,191,921 6/1965 Johnson 266-36 3,239,206 3/1966 PuXkandl 266-36 3,307,841 3/1967 Lixenfeld 266-36 J. SPENCER OVERHOLSER, Primary Examiner.

EUGENE MAR, Assistant Examiner. 

